Check out this awesome recipe written by dedicated reader Matt Stary.
I love to eat. In fact, part of the reason I work out so much is so I can eat more food.
In the past It was very easy for me to fall back on “quick and easy” (read: terrible for you) food choices which prevented me from eating the way I should. As a result, my diet was detrimental to all of the effort I was putting forth in the gym and I wasn’t able to maximize my gains. I decided to make a change.
I’m not an executive chef but I watch the Food Network a lot and picked up some useful techniques. These techniques taught me how to take the same-old foods I regularly eat and turn them into something that tastes great and compliments my lifting regimen.
First up is my take on what I consider to be a weight lifting staple: chicken breast.
Chili-Lime Chicken (Serves 4)
Take that boring chicken and turn it into something you actually want to eat.
You will need:
- (4) 4 oz Boneless/Skinless Chicken Breasts
- 2 Cloves of Garlic (Minced)
- 2 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1/4 cup Lime Juice
- 1/2 tsp Chili Powder
- 1/2 tsp Oregano
- Salt and Pepper
Directions:
1.) Trim off any extra fat on your chicken breasts and place them in a 1 gallon zip-lock bag.
2.) Add your oil, lime juice, chili powder, garlic, and oregano into the bag of chicken and massage this mixture into the chicken.
3.) Seal this bag and let it sit in the refrigerator for up to 2 hours. Note: Don’t leave it in too long or the lime juice will actually start to cook the chicken and will make it tough.
4.) Once the chicken has fully marinated, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line your baking pan with aluminum foil and remove the chicken from the refrigerator and place onto your baking sheet. Season the chicken with salt and pepper.
5.) Bake chicken for approximately 30 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees.
6.) Let chicken rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Nutrition Facts (per serving):
- 108 calories
- 8g fat
- 2g carbohydrates
- 27g protein
Next up is my take on a good-old baked potato.
Dad’s Microwave Potatoes (Serves 4)
With minimal effort you can change those plain baked potatoes into something you would be proud of eating.
You will need:
- 6 Medium Yukon Gold Potatoes
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
- 4 tbsp Grated (or Shredded) Parmesan Cheese
- 2 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1 tsp Paprika
- Salt and Pepper
Directions:
1.) Wash your potatoes in cold water to knock off any residual dirt.
2.) Take a small paring knife and cut off any blemishes or dark spots.
3.) Chop each potato into even bite-sized pieces (so they will cook the same) and place them into a microwave-safe container. *Preferably one with a lid.
4.) Cook on HIGH for 6 minutes.
5.) When the timer goes off, drain any water from the container and add olive oil, garlic powder, Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, and paprika and mix well.
6.) Cover and return to the microwave for another 6 minutes.
Nutrition Facts (per serving):
- 197 calories
- 6g fat
- 41g carbohydrates
- 8g protein
Lastly, I will show you how to take some boring green beans and turn them into a vegetable that you will crave to eat.
Fancy Green Beans (Serves 4)
Green beans with a little butter and salt are good and all but if you want to take it a step further, check this out.
You will need:
- 1 Package Frozen, Steam-able Green Beans (I use Archer Farms Extra Fine Green Beans)
- 2 oz Soft Goat-Cheese
- Salt and Pepper (to taste)
- Hot Sauce (to taste; optional)
Directions:
1.) Prepare your green beans according to the package.
2.) Top each serving with 1/2 ounce of goat cheese and season with salt and pepper. For an extra little kick, I recommend putting a few drops of your favorite hot sauce on top.
Nutrition facts (per serving):
- 73 calories
- 3g fat
- 5g carbohydrates
- 4g protein
I use these recipes all the time because they are easy to prepare, delicious, and work out friendly.
Just wait until you taste the green beans, they are actually one of my favorite late-night snacks.
Don’t let lack of know-how stop you from going beast-mode in the kitchen; try them out and let me know what you think.
Good luck, have fun, eat well.
Note from Cutty: Be sure to let us know in the comments if you try this out and how you like it. My mouth is watering while I was editing this. Also be sure to follow Matt at @StaryKnight and encourage him to write more awesome recipes!
